#so there's something a little... bitter about childhood for him. the feeling of being stuck between a rock and a hard place

[swiftcast-selene]

Day 2: Home

sometimes it's hard to think of the shadow of a castrum as "home", but... it's much harder to deny the effect the Shroud and its people have had on him.

#miqomarch #miqomarch 2024 #ffxiv #ffxiv miqo'te #final fantasy 14 #there's no canon location for O that i've managed to find so #i imagine them being basically. between gyr abania and the shroud #used to cover a pretty large territory between the two #a long time ago before the ala mhigan invasion #and as it was they eventually. settled on staying in gridania. purely because it was safer there #and they didn't want to side with ala mhigo for fear of like. invoking the ire of the elementals #and it was fine for a While. until negi's father just sort of made a mess of the tribe. #got a big head about it and thought he was invincible and slowly whittled away at relations with gridania in general #until there was no trade and they just stagnated #negi was one of his last kids and as a twin he inherited most of the issues o'kovhi didn't get #so there's something a little... bitter about childhood for him. the feeling of being stuck between a rock and a hard place #he left eventually for gridania proper to study as a conjurer (which didn't work out very well) #but without all of it he wouldn't have met selene.. wouldn't have found his calling during the calamity... #he wouldn't be himself! #and he does love the Shroud. it is his home for better or for worse #his.... roots ;) ;) ;) #m: negi

[stsgluver]

synopsis. after too many years, gojo has his family together again.

wc. 810

tags. lovers-to-strangers-to-lovers!au

series link !

"so are you two back together?"

you and gojo share a surprised look that that was the first question that tsumiki asked. yes, you had acknowledged the status of your relationship would be brought up in this small cafe meeting with tsumiki and megumi, but admittedly you'd hoped it would've come up far later in the conversation. if at all.

beyond your initial comment about how leaving him had impacted you, there hadn't been much discussion on anything regarding the two of you together. the jujutsu world was one of heartache and pain and neither of you were brave enough to take the dive into another heartbreak that would surely kill you both.

you cleared your throat, ignoring the heat that had risen to your cheeks as you shook your head, "no, no, we are just friends." gojo gave a tight-lipped smile and nodded in agreement.

just friends aren't still deeply in lo-

"-being away from this place wasn't as... cleansing for the soul as i'd hoped it to be so i came back," you explained and tsumiki eyed you both suspiciously.

tsumiki had been thirteen and megumi twelve when you had left. they had always been insightful children and knew something was wrong before you and gojo officially ended things. neither had expected you to leave them, however, and it had taken megumi some convincing to come to the cafe at all to see you.

he'd barely acknowledged you at jujutsu high.

"so you're back for good?" tsumiki asked and you nodded, causing a wide grin to appear on her face, "yay! i've really hated being the only girl in the house-"

"-she's not moving back in," gojo cut her off more harshly than intended and he bit his tongue, sending you an apologetic glance.

you brushed it off, leaning across the table to lightly squeeze tsumiki's hand, "i'll definitely come over and visit. I've missed our friday girl's nights." it wasn't enough to make her smile as it had before, but at least one night a week was definitely better than the zero she'd had for three and a half years.

"are you sure you should be coming back?"

everything around you stilled and you're once again reminded of how observant megumi was, even as a young teenager. it reflected his muddled childhood and you felt a pang of guilt for only further causing an issue which forced him to mature more quickly than he should've had to.

"i'm okay now megs, i promise," you said sincerely, "everything was just getting a little too much and i could barely focus. i didn't want to get someone hurt on a mission because of my mistakes. you're stuck with me now though. forever." your promise did little to subside the unease that megumi felt but he nodded his head in recognition nonetheless.

the silence of a thousand unsaid words settled between the four of you, each of you deciding that staring at your drinks were more fascinating.

gojo decided that this was his opportunity to make his coffee to just his liking and began pouring in several tubes of sugar at once.

you scoffed at his behaviour as he reached for three more, "how do you have any teeth left?"

gojo gave your drink a disgusted glance, "if you tell me that you like the bitter flavour of coffee, i'll be the one who leaves this time." whilst you'd like to say that you were shocked that he was making jokes so soon, you'd be lying. this was how he coped. had it not been for the circumstance, you think you would've been a little happier for that - this gojo was still your gojo.

you diverted your attention back to megumi, "you still remember the pins to gojo's cards right?" he nodded with a smirk in gojo's direction. "perfect!" you placed your hand on gojo's forearm that rested on the table as you grinned up at him. he did his best not to visibly react to feeling the warm of your touch, even through the fabric of his shirt. "we'll be okay without you." however, the way your fingers naturally hold onto his shirt a little bit tighter than necessary screamed otherwise.

gojo dramatically rolled his eyes, tsking as you 'ganged' up on him, "oh so now you're all using me for my money? shocked but not surprised."

"well it's definitely not your personality that keeps us around," megumi quipped and gojo gasped as he clutched a hand to his shirt in faux agony. for a boy who so often kept his emotions hidden beneath a facade, no one missed the quirk of his lips into a small smile.

for a moment, a very brief fleeting moment, gojo was content. in front of him were the three most important people in his life and, relationships aside, his family was together again.

tag list below cut:

@trinityimagines ! @karmcrim15 ! @sagekko! @hoejosfavhoe ! @hilzup ! @planetnini ! @mariapierce789 ! @deegausserr ! @shoutoandsatorubrainrot ! @keilaq1 !

if you have any suggestions or any ideas for this series please let me know!!

#gojo #gojo satoru #lovers-to-strangers-to-lovers!au #gojo fluff #gojo drabble #satoru #gojo x yn #gojo x reader #gojo oneshot #gojo fic

[ask-spooky-manor]

Toby Character Headcanons

So I was tagged with a list of questions for me to answer that I reblogged, and while none of them were sent in my inbox, I still wanted to answer some cause they were really interesting.

Trigger Warning: I do talk about how abuse has affected Toby and how it has left some long lasting scars mentally and emotionally speaking. Not all of the headcanons are like that though, just be cautious. Nothing too in detail but can be uncomfortable

Clothing style

Toby’s style is like mixing grunge with cottagecore (goblincore is what it’s usually called). He likes his knitted sweaters and earthy tones, but at the same time he enjoyes ripped jeans and chunky black boots that can basically double as a weapon.

Eating Habits

Toby has a massive appetite. You will always catch him with a snack in his hands or complaining that he’s hungry despite having eaten a full meal not ten minutes ago. He just really likes food, and people in the house know to give him an extra serving for dinner

Hobbies

Music is more of a passion so tinkering around and making little gadgets is probably his number one hobby. He mainly likes to make things that blow up. Other general hobbies he has are cooking, hiking, uhhhh arson, and drawing

Fighting Style

He’s fully aware that he’s not the strongest or fastest or even has the most endurance, but Toby is extremely clever and crafty. He thinks way outside of the box and relies heavily on all of his odd little gadgets and inventions to surprise an enemy like smoke bombs, traps, loud fire crackers, you name it. He is an unpredictable fighter because you’ll never know what he has up his sleeves, and the surprise is something he will very much use against you. Not to mention that when he’s stuck in a sticky situation, he’s really good at coming up with on the spot plans that will get him out of trouble.

Ways he says I love you

Well, he will just say it. Toby won’t shy away from using the L word on anyone he even mildly likes. Though another way he shows it is through encouraging his loved ones to take care of themselves. He will make sure you eat properly, sleep well, take your meds, etc. Also hugs, Toby is a hugger.

Introvert or Extrovert

Extrovert, which surprised him when he realized it. Toby thought he was introverted for the longest time when in reality he was just dealing with a lot of nasty people who made him feel unsafe. Being alone felt safer, but at the same time it made him miserable because he naturally gains more energy with good people around. Ending up in the manor was the best thing to happen to him because now he has buddies he can spend time with like all the time.

Religious or Non-religious?

Complicated as fuck. He was raised Christian only to kind of despise organized religions as a whole. He would say he’s an atheist if he didn’t live with a literal moon god (Ben), so now he just has a beef with gods in general (Except Ben, they’re chill). Basically he thinks about how if these beings really are all powerful, all kind, all forgiving and omniscient and good then why the fuck did none of them help him? Why did it reach a point where he killed his own father? Why was he never saved? Basically, the idea of there being a higher power gets him in a bitter mood. Best to avoid the subject altogether.

Something he could never forgive.

Toby is generally a forgiving person but the one thing he could never forgive is when someone takes advantage of the kindness he is willing to give. Classmates did it in school as a way to bully him, and his dad would sometimes guilt trip favors out of him (usually to sneak him more beer, which will end up biting Toby in the ass when facing his drunk dad later on). Just the general act of trying to manipulate Toby, knowing they can toy with the heart he wears on his sleeve, is enough for him to want that person dead.

Something that scares him.

For the small, irrational fear; Toby is afraid of the dark. It’s just a childhood fear that he never really got over. It’s fine if he’s with someone but being alone in the dark will put him in fight or flight mode. For the bigger existential shit: dreads the idea of everyone secretly hating him. His own father and peers have created this idea in Toby’s mind that there is nothing good about him. That his own existence is nothing but a burden on others, so there’s always this fear that his friends and even his own boyfriend don’t actually like him and that it’s all a front. He knows that realistically that’s not true, but it’s hard fighting against a toxic mindset that was pushed into his brain at such a young age.

Did he grow up too fast?

No, thankfully. It was Lyra who had to grow up too fast. Connie did her best, she really did, but there have been a lot of times where it was Lyra who had to care for Toby. Especially after really bad nights where their dad thought having one more bottle wouldn’t be a problem. Toby was unlucky enough to have been surrounded by people that were cruel to him, but thanks to Lyra and his mom he at least was able to be a kid from time to time.

#creepypasta #creepypasta fandom #creepypasta headcanon #ticci toby #toby rogers #lyra rogers #ben drowned #they’re mentioned so it counts lol #headcanons

[pendragonsclotpole]

i’ve watched the first three episodes of the pjo series and then decided to wait. ostensibly this is because once season one is done i can binge it all in one go like i read the book, but i have a confession to make. i can’t stand to watch it.

hear me out: i read these books when i was in grade school. tlt? fifth grade. the rest of the original series? powered me through sixth grade and into seventh. hoo? eighth grade and first year or two of high school. i was a baby. percy jackson and his friends were either my age or older than me and doing shit i could not even comprehend.

i’ve seen a lot of discourse online about the changes made in the show and how they don’t align with how some fans remember the books, and i think that criticism perfectly echoes my feelings on this series. when i read pjo, i saw myself in the characters and saw my interactions with people older than me in their interactions with adults or older characters. case in point sally and luke.

i’m gonna have to make another post about my feelings for show!sally vs book!sally (tldr: book!sally reminds me of how i thought of the adults in my life and their complicated relationships with other adults as a kid, show!sally shows me that things were never so clear cut, surviving/being a survivor is mastering how to balance on a tight tope into adulthood, and sometimes the monsters we remember from our childhoods are a lot more pathetic than we ever realized. don’t even get me started on how i spent my whole life thinking of sally as a woman in her late twenties/early thirties with nothing in her life put together. seeing her in the show was a slap to the face for that notion, because sally seems so much older, but also so much closer to my age than percy in terms of maturity if not actually and what does that mean for me?)

but now about luke. jfc he looks so young. i think it was so easy to demonize luke because he was older, described as college aged, and perfect and popular and a mentor. he felt so responsible, so caring that the betrayal from him in tlt felt so much worse because as a reader i inherently related to percy, annabeth and thalia.

but growing up is realizing i’m now older than book!Luke in tlt and if i was faced with the loneliness of not having at least one good parent, i might be just as bitter as him. heck i do have one good parent, and i think i’m just as bitter as him about somethings. i’m older than him and somehow still feel so much younger. and also, show!luke’s actor is so young looking! i didn’t expect that to be such a hard pill to swallow, realizing the actor is actually 19 made me want to roll up into a ball and cry because fuck, did i look that young at 19??? i’m still in my early 20s, but somehow you do so much growth in the span of those years that just blows my mind. it isn’t fair and it feels like loss and at the same time, i think i understand why rick riordan and the rest of the writing/production team made the choices they did. on the one hand, they could have stuck to the books as faithfully as possible and recreated word for word the story we remembered from when we were kids, but on the other hand, they had the chance of portraying the story as it was and now would be now that we’re the grown ups.

i’m gonna finish the season, eventually, but i don’t yet have the emotional maturity to not hate every little change.

#luke pjo #pjo headcanon #pjo #pjo disney+ #pjo tv show #percy pjo #pjo fandom #pjo series #pjoverse #percy jackon and the olympians #percy jackson #luke castellan #sally jackson #rick riordan #the mortifying ordeal of growing up #and realizing you are the adult

[honeyhotteoks]

hey chai!! tysm for the 4 updates I loved it so much,, I hope everything is going well for you because I'm sure your writing is helping a lot of us <33 anyways I'm curious about your thoughts about everyone scents including woosanhwa I don't know if you've stated it and I just missed it but yea I hope you have a great day as always and remember to drink water!! <33

oh thank you so much!!! all of their scents are subtly included, but some are more obvious than others for sure. here's a little break down of all our main characters and their scent notes, but as a note.... scents change a bit depending on who's breathing it in and scents change with emotions or biological shifts. i include some thoughts about that below too! --

reader: chamomile tea, willow sap, & honey; when reader is in heat or aroused, the honey scent is much stronger, and when she's feeling really upbeat, joyful, there's hints of clean lemon zest. the willow is subtle, but a little sharp in it's medicinal almost wintergreen scent, it's one of those smells that you either love or you hate, but mingi and yunho both love.* when she's afraid, her scent turns bitter like over-steeped tea. if reader were to be pregnant, her scent would turn a little milkier, like tea with sweet cream and honey. yunho: rain / wet earth, cedar, & clarysage; when yunho is trying to comfort reader or draw her in with his scent, it's much more of a true petrichor / wet earth scent. when he's aroused or in a rut the cedar is stronger and more masculine, but underneath both of those tones is a bit of a sweeter/herbal tone with the sage. to reader, his scent really pulls like a comforting childhood memory that makes her feel safe and secure. mingi: dark chocolate, cinnamon & pink peppercorn; when mingi is angry, aroused, or in a heightened emotional state the cinnamon really shines for him, but when he's in a calmer or comforting state it's more chocolate and cocoa. the pink peppercorn is something that is only really caught when you're close, something undefinable that enhances the sweetness and the spice, but is undeniably mingi. seonghwa: freshly brewed coffee, jasmine, & pear; seonghwa to me lives in a beautiful space between masculine and feminine energy and his alpha scent is reflective of that. warm and strong coffee is ever present, but jasmine really comes forwards with those he's comfortable with or aroused by. pear is sweeter and more decadent and comes to the front when he's with san especially. san: jasmine, sandalwood, & oakmoss; san and seonghwa's scents are intentionally complimentary, but san's scent undertones are more masculine and 'alpha' like compared to his jasmine top note. he's floral and fresh, bright and energizing, but a scent that deepens in masculine complexity the closer you are to him. when he's comfortable and relaxed, the warmth and natural notes of oakmoss are more present. wooyoung: linen, salt, & green apple; wooyoung's scent is fresh and bright, evoking something clean and summery. when he's in heat, the apple scent turns a bit caramelized and sweet, but normally his scent is more even and calming with the linen and salt being forward in tone. to reader, his scent also calls to mind a memory more than distinct scents, and she and others often associate his unique blend with the last days of summer sun in august.

*note on reader's scent: admittedly, my inspiration for reader's scent was directly taken from one of my favorite books, a discovery of witches by deborah harkness. the full quote is below because i think it's so lovely and this line often gets stuck in my head:

"You smell of willow sap. And chamomile that has been crushed underfoot. There's honeysuckle and fallen oak leaves, too, along with witch hazel blooming and the first narcissus of spring. And ancient things - horehound, frankincense, lady's mantle. Scents I thought I'd forgotten."

#answered anon #tnt ask #no one asked for ALL this detail but this is what my fic outlines look like so #welcome LMAO #also you'll notice none of her alphas have an orange or overtly citrus scent #that's very intentionally because minseok smells like orange peel #and our girl does NOT like his alpha scent #even before he did what he did it's just not an appealing scent to her in the same way

[skatingbi]

Alex is so fucking relatable to me.

Me, someone who was forced to quit a sport that i entertained the idea of going pro in, now stuck in my city and constantly reminiscing of what i could have been. How I always feel a little bitter about being forced to change my dream to something else (which i love..but its not the same).

Alex, a college kid who dreams of going pro but knows deep down it'll never happen. Shitty self esteem because of his family and childhood. Still clinging desperately to a dream that keeps him going and at least helps him look forward to the next day.

Like thanks stardew! I played for a silly farm sim and instead got fucking psychoanalyzed! /pos

But fr Alex shouldn't be so fucking relatable. His story tore me up and made me realize how much I really cling onto the past. Like??? What the fuck??? This damn game is doing more than therapy did in two fucking years somehow??

Anyways, ConcernedApe and whoever else blessed this game with their passion and love for their community deserve the world. Tbh im embarrassed it took me so long to play this game and appreciate it.

#arin rambles #IM SO SORRY TO MY FOLLOWERS WHO FOLLOWED FOR OP #IM HYPERFIXATING ON STARDEW AJFHAJFBA #pls...bear w me... #stardew valley #stardew valley alex

[allycot]

kuai liang & bi-han | random, incomplete fragments

Fear.

The first feeling covering Kuai Liang gradually, like an impending storm; it is not like in the reality. It is bigger. It is much worse. The feeling splits into several different parts. Realisation, loss of will, preparedness for the worst. The escape.

Kuai runs away. As fast as he can.

He shouldn’t stop. Not this time. Running away, until the cold covers him completely and he gets lost in the ice. Getting out from a dread emptiness while it is still possible.

He runs away and keeps running with all his might.

Falling down; he feels the snow under his hands. Turning around.

Kuai can notice his brother coming closer to him, not with that ferocity he used to have, but slowly, as though to wait for his next actions. He found him. No doubt that he wouldn’t. So it repeats itself. Again, and again, and again.

The blade in Kuai’s hands. He has no idea what kind of push stimulated him to stand up abruptly. Watching Bi-Han pulling out a weapon as well.

Fight. Giving themselves up to it. Fast reaction, but heaviness in the body. Kuai can’t feel it, as if it does not depend on him at all. He wants to escape from this cold, unbearable place. Yet he can’t because Bi-Han does not stop.

Until the blade pierces his body.

The composure in Bi-Han’s eyes disappears as soon as he falls to his knees, not being able to say any word.

“Brother!”

No. Not again. Not this time, for God’s sake, he can’t see this anymore. The blood on their hands, blood drops in the snow. They will never change it.

“I’m… I’m sorry… I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” Kuai Liang brings Bi-Han close to his own body, trying to hold. The scream is stuck in the throat.

He is awake, still feeling the cold.

The same nightmare does not leave his mind, keeping breaking into it. Looking around, he notices Tomas, who stands by the door of the room. His eyes are full of worry, notices Kuai.

“Was it a bad dream again?” he asks a question silently.

“Don’t worry about me. I’m fine, brother.”

“You’re not,” claims Tomas. “I heard you saying something in your sleep.”

Kuai Liang has always been surprised by Tomas’s attentiveness, especially when it is related to him. It is one of the few things he is not really ready to share even with him, though they have known each other for all life and such things must not be a surprise to them.

“I also saw the things… horrible things, they must be from my past. But what I realise is that my life is here. Here, with our future. I wouldn’t say I got through this completely, but… I just want to say that I’m here. With you. I’ll never leave you,” Tomas sits down next to Kuai, assuring him.

There is something in his tone that makes Kuai Liang believe him, in the good. He looks up at the brother, noticing a full confidence that Smoke’s gaze has. Kuai nods.

“Thank you.”

Anger? Maybe. Yet it is something unique. Something strange and familiar at the same time, hiding itself behind the anger he is used to feeling. Resentment? Bitterness? It is not in his power to determine or give it its actual name.

The scars on the back still hurt, but the pain has an ability to go away. Bi-Han enters the room: he recognises it. A pathetic fragment of the childhood. The room is darker than it was in the reality. As if he remembers this day, as if it is just a memory mixed with illusions of his mind.

Seeing Kuai Liang looking a little younger, it does not surprise Bi-Han, though the thoughts from the present, the reality, still follow him even here.

Kuai turns around. The scar on the eye bleeds.

Something does not allow Bi-Han to ask. Something holds him back from that; the other side, within him, literally screams about it.

“Who did it to you?!”

He comes up to Kuai, feeling free from the dark, absorbing emotions for a while.

“It’s okay, Bi-Han. Everything is okay.” Too calm to be true.

Something is definitely wrong.

The cryomancer looks at his own hands that are covered in blood.

Bi-Han opens his eyes, barely getting out from that terrifying abyss.

Trying to calm down. The emptiness is still around him, but now he can leave the past and everything making him weaker. He has already left, hasn’t he? So that crying feeling, hidden inside the soul, won’t even show itself.

He won’t accept the fact that he lost a part of him.

#not a fic but a sketch #drama moments I can’t be without it #kuai liang #bi han #tomas vrbada #mk1 #mk fandom #mortal kombat #crazy thoughts #mk sub zero #mk scorpion #mk smoke #lin kuei #tw: blood

[tomitsuya]

HOT COCOA

summary: there’s something so warm and comforting about your best friend, miya osamu. you just wish you stopped feeling a ferocious flutter every time you look at him

pairing: miya osamu/f! reader

tags:  friends to lovers, timeskip, msby appearance, fluff

It's tough out there– Christmas is peak couples’ season and you’re surrounded by happy couples entwined everywhere you go. Lest you sound like a jilted heroine, you angrily push through a couple of them as you rush to Osamu’s restaurant for dinner. You hated being reminded about your singlehood– whether at work or in public, or on social media. This time of the year is especially draining. 

Osamu invited you as an end of the year treat– he was closing Onigiri Miya until the new year and he invited you, along with a couple of other guests for a small party. As far as you knew, his brother and some of the MSBY players were also going to be in attendance.

You’re the last to arrive at the party because you missed your train, so most of the guests are inside and there’s a gentle hum of activity. Osamu’s back is turned to everyone as he dices some spring onions behind the counter. His muscles flex as he works on his cooking, dressed in nothing other than a thin, black t-shirt. You stare for a moment longer than you’d like, admiring his strong arms and hands prepare the vegetables with utmost care. 

“Y/N!” Atsumu hollers, calling you into the restaurant. 

Osamu’s ears perk up and he looks over at you. He gives you a quick smile which you return shakily, still simmering in the shame over nursing your attraction to your best friend. It was embarrassing– being an adult and having a crush on your childhood best friend but you were determined to ignore it. 

Atsumu beckons you over to where he is, joined by his teammates and a girl. Before you can ask, Atsumu answers any questions you might have had.

“This is Hana, my girlfriend.” 

You nod, giving her a brief smile. Hinata and Bokuto bombard you with questions, while Sakusa nurses his glass of tea silently. Atsumu and Hana seemed wrapped up in each other, so much so that you can’t help but feel a touch jealous. Not of Hana– never, no– but that they had each other when every atom in the atmosphere was reminding you of the joys of being in love. 

Osamu joins the group a little while after, sliding a tray of Atsumu’s favourite negitoro onigiri towards him. Atsumu thanks his brother and tucks in with gusto, disgusting Sakusa, who hides his mouth behind his collar. You pat Sakusa on the back sympathetically, earning you the smallest of smiles from him, a miracle in its own right, and go on with your night, sampling a little of everything Osamu put out for the party. 

Once the party cleared out, with a tipsy Atsumu draped on his girlfriend and having to be led out, you stuck behind to help Osamu with the clean-up.

“I don’t mind,” he smiles, “Ya can head home too.” 

“Well, I don’t mind staying.” 

“Alright,” he tosses you a damp rag for you to wipe down the tables. 

“This yer first time meetin’ Hana?” He asks.

“Yeah, why?” You reply, cocking an eyebrow. 

Osamu’s done washing up and starts putting away the dry utensils and plates. 

“She seems nice, doesn’t she?” He asks cryptically.

You nod. “Yeah, they seem happy. I’m happy for Atsumu.” 

“Ya were starin’ at them the whole night,” Osamu observes quietly, setting down the plate he was drying with more force than necessary.

It rings throughout the quiet restaurant. 

“What are you talking about?” You ask.

“Nothin’, just wonderin’ if my idiot brother gettin’ a girlfriend made you jealous,” despite him trying to come across as light-hearted, you notice a palpable bitterness in his tone. 

“It doesn’t, because I don’t have feelings for Atsumu. What’s bringing this on?” You move closer to him.

“Ya just keep goin’ on about how all the couples annoy you around this time of year and I saw you starin’ at Atsumu, and I couldn’t help but wonder.” He says placidly, not meeting your eyes, “That maybe yer just jealous.”

“Hey, I confided those things to you in good faith,” you frown, “Not for you to throw them back into my face.” 

“Well, maybe if you stopped whinin’ and saw what was in front of ya, then I wouldn’t have to.” 

“What are you even talking about?” You ask, tugging on his arm to get him to face you.

“I like ya,” he says bashfully, “And it's buggin’ me to see yer moonin’ over everyone, even though I’m right here.”

“And how was I supposed to know that?” You say, and even though your tone is biting, you’re more than a little pleased that he returns your feelings. 

“Dunno,” he mumbles.

You roll your eyes, “Osamu, ugh, look at me.” 

He meets your eyes shyly, so unlike his usual confident self. Osamu seems shocked that he confessed to you, more surprised than even yourself. You lick your lips as you search to find the words, but Osamu takes that as an invitation to lean in and kiss your lips softly. 

“Was that okay?” He asks.

“Yes,” you breathe, “And I’m going to kiss you now.” 

Before his lips can curl into a smile, you’ve met his lips and throw your arms around his neck. Osamu reciprocates enthusiastically, picking you up and setting you on the counter. 

“Stop complainin’ now, because ya got me. And I’m not goin’ anywhere.” 

“Aw!” Atsumu’s shrill voice cuts through your moment. 

The both of you jump up and look at him, but neither of you bother to unwrap your arms from the other. 

“I left my wallet, and I came to get it,” he explains, “Sobered up when I got home and Hana made me come back to get it.”

You nod, but Osamu grumbles at him.

“Yer make a cute couple! Goodnight!” Atsumu laughs on his way out. 

Osamu grumbles once more, “I’m tellin’ mom he was bein’ rude to you.” 

You slap his chest at the obvious lie but he just grins devilishly, caging you against the counter in his strong arms. His lips skim the skin of your neck, teeth nipping you when he reaches your ear. 

“I’m gonna make ya some hot cocoa after this,” he says as seductively as he can, “with marshmallows and everythin’.”

#osamu x reader #miya osamu x reader #haikyuu x reader #osamu x reader fluff #osamu x you #miya osamu x you #miya osamu fluff #haikyuu x reader fluff #by: tomitsuya #series: 22xmas

[vodkacranberrywitch]

Niall Horan Personality

First meeting/Acquaintance: Nial Horan presents as someone who is sensitive and easy going. When I say sensitive, I mean that people think he would be a good boyfriend. There might be something about him that makes him seem trustworthy and loyal. He may appear compassionate and understanding.

Who he is:

Nial is someone who is fair. He has strong beliefs and he will stick by them. He may be someone who has a lot of causes he cares about. He is practical but also sensitive. He is able to balance things in his life well.

Nial is someone who enjoys doing new things. He doesn't mind being uncomfortable. He wants to get out of his comfort zone. He may be someone who can be stuck in the past. He is always thinking about how things used to be and how much he wishes that they can be that way again. This can stunt him from progressing.

Another nostalgia card. He is someone who is always looking to the past. This is unhealthy nostalgia. If I wanted to take another interpretation from this, I would say that this could be that he made so much money in childhood he is uninterested in working further.

He feels trapped. He feels like he does things because he has no choice. He might be afraid of disappointing someone in his life so he is doing something he doesn't want to do. I think emotionally, he is also a little stunted. He might be a bit jaded. I'm wondering if he misses One Direction and he's bitter that they broke up because he is very interested in his past.

He is hiding himself. He feels like his real self will be judged by the public. This is a feeling of inadequacy. He is afraid of being exposed.

This one is a little short because he is stuck in this energy. Very repetitive.

Thank you for reading! Let me know if you have any questions. Suggestions are closed.

These readings are alleged and for entertainment purposes

#celeb tarot #niall horan #tarot reading

[phanfictioncatalogue]

10k-20k Words (7) Masterlist

part one, part two, part three, part four, part five, part six

a game of chance (ao3) | 12k | - danhoweiis

Summary: Phil worked at Chance and Counters, a board game cafe in North East London. One definite perk of the last few weeks had been the guy who Phil was now delivering a coffee too. Phil had been smitten from the second he stepped through the door which was something he now wished he hadn’t told his friend and manger Nate, so he could have saved himself being teased every time Cute Dan (as Phil had affectionately called him after overhearing someone say his name) came in

A Wingspan Unbelievable | 14k | (ao3) - queerofcups

Summary: Phil isn't bitter. Phil is a kingmaker.

A Youtuber AU.

Air Hockey (ao3) | 12k | - philsmeatylegss

Summary: Christmas fic where neko!dan, who has a horrific past, faces his greatest challenge yet: meeting his fiancé’s family…

all that kindred eyes can see (ao3) | 16k | - natigail

Summary: Teachers Dan and Phil figure that they could quite easily keep their relationship secret while working at the same school. It's only for half a year after all. But the keen eyes of a trio of friends soon start to pick up on little hints and clues. It's a good thing the students mostly just want to admire their love and figure themselves out along the way.

August (ao3) | 15k | - glowingatmosphere

Summary: When Dan returns home and meets up with his childhood friend Phil after they’ve finished their first year of uni, he notices that things between them are different. As they rekindle their friendship, Dan completely immerses himself in the new feelings that he’s developing for his best friend. But when Phil starts talking about another boy, Dan begins to wonder whether Phil was ever really his.

Back To Zero (ao3) | 11k | - intoapuddle

Summary: One weekend, one house, five people, a recent breakup; Dan wasn't exactly thrilled, but he was going to show up for his friend, even if it meant having to share a bed with a stupid guy that sided with the even stupider guy that broke his friend's heart.

Blue Cars | 11k | - lesteresce

Summary: Dan isn’t special. He’s not. And he’s ok with that, he thinks.

break free (ao3) | 19k | - wiccamoody

Summary: Dan is a competitor on the first season of RuPaul's Drag Race UK.

Caller Unknown (ao3) | 19k | - Marranje

Summary: “Well, can I scam you?”

Dan blinked.

What.

“Did you… did you just ask if you could scam me?”

“Yes. Can I scam you?” he repeated.

“… sure, you can try,” Dan replied, baffled.

or, that scam caller au nobody asked for

Carpets, Pokemon and hugs (These are a few of my favorite things) (ao3) | 15k | - DownDownFangirl

Summary: Phil works at a motel and Dan is a guest who comes and goes. There are many thoughts to think and many delicate conversations to have... And it can get confusing, especially when you live hundreds of kilometers away from each other.

Dan and His Butterflies (ao3) | 12k | - Raspberrysaxophone

Summary: Dan is terribly in love with Phil (the sporty jog). So much so, that Dan joins the school's sports team to be closer to him. As Dan awkwardly stumbles around, Phil starts to take notice of him. A party takes place and who knows what a drunk Dan might do...

First to Listen (To Anything I Said) (ao3) | 16k | - SylvesterLester

Summary: It's 2004, and Dan Howell is screwing up in school. He can't help that he's stuck in boring classes with boring people and just doesn't care. So when Phil Lester, one of the geekiest kids in school, is assigned to be his tutor, he's expecting this to just be another crappy part of his already crappy life.

But when it turns out Phil might be Dan's first real friend, his hormones threaten to screw all that up. Because that's all it is, right? Hormones?

Flore Luna (ao3) | 12k | - strawberrysunflower

Summary: It’s been eighteen months since Dan returned to the Wizarding world, and he’s making real strides. He’s living in his own tiny studio flat. He has a job in a failing bookshop. He’s relearning spells that kids as young as eleven have already mastered.

And he’s developed an unhealthy grudge on the irritating, black-haired florist across the alley.

Guilty Pleasure (ao3) | 11k | - ThoughtaThought

Summary: Dan and Phil meet at a BDSM club and decide to play. Dan is a rigger and a masochist. Phil is a sadist and a rope bunny. It’s perfect.

I Don't Love You (ao3) | 18k | - Raspberrysaxophone

Summary: Dan and Phil work in an office and are (unfortunately) sharing a desk. Phil is often away on business or working from home so they are never there at the same time. They both get frustrated with how the other one organises the shared space and tell each other that through notes

- or -

Dan and Phil hate each other, but soon Dan realises that he is developing a crush on him. What will a New York business trip (where they are sharing a room xxx) do to their relationship?

It's Not Where You Come From (ao3) | 14k | - phantasticworks

Summary: When Levi brings home an unexpected guest, Dan and Phil are faced with the consequences, and have some serious decisions to make.

Kick Me While I'm Down (ao3) | 14k | - jerseker

Summary: Dan and Phil meet in an adult kickball league. Phil is just there to make friends. Dan is - not.

Lester's Bail Bonds (ao3) | 10k | - orphan_account

Summary: Dan Howell is a flight attendant who gets caught smuggling illegal money for his boss. When he gets arrested, he meets bail bondsman Phil Lester, who gets him out of jail. Being threatened on both sides by the cops and by Dan’s terrifying boss, Dan and Phil develop a plan to double-cross both parties, take the boss' money, and run away together. Will they be able to pull off the heist?

Necklace Of Bones (ao3) | 11k | - A_Million_Regrets

Summary: Dan hears the story of a beast who was banished from the world of beasts ten thousand years ago. Apparantly, the beast now wanders the earth, searching for his long-lost companion. The story doesn't move Dan. In fact, he thinks it's unbelievably boring, but his thoughts immediately change when he returns home and finds a giant red door in his home. Beyond the door is a black room, and inside the room, he meets a man with blue eyes and black horns on his head. Dan doesn't know who the man is, but he feels a deep sense of nostalgia when he looks at him.

Song Stuck In My Head | 18k | - xinyanhowell

Summary: Phil’s best friend is getting married. How can one song change so many lives forever?

Teacher's Pet (ao3) | 11k | - SylvesterLester

Summary: Izzy's mum left when she was 11 years old, which she's fine with-really. Her and her dad are better off just the two of them, anyways...until Mr. H comes along and things start getting turned upside down.

To Dwell on Dreams (ao3) | 10k | - carltzmann

Summary: Dan and Phil meet at the Mirror of Erised.

(TW) To Live and Let Go (ao3) | 14k | - raisedufromperdition

Summary: Upon his diagnosis of a terminal illness, Dan vows to spend the rest of his short life with Phil by his side, completing his bucket list while learning what it really means to live and love.

when you are young, they assume you know nothing (ao3) | 19k | - orphan_account

Summary: A letter, in a plain envelope.

Dan’s address written on the outside.

And something else scribbled on the front:

To PML.

If the offer enclosed is disagreeable, return to sender.

--

After a misunderstanding at prom, Dan finds himself in a dilemma; should he fall into a summer affair with Phil, or should he make up with his boyfriend of 3 years, Blake?

Based on Taylor Swift's Folklore.

#phanfictioncatalogue #phan #phanfic #phanfiction #masterlists #10k #10k masterlist #20k #20k masterlist

[powerpayback]

a bright city christmas (eve)

“Here’s to our first Christmas as private investigators, making it on our own in the big city.” Sprout popped the cork of the bottle of sparkling wine - business hadn’t been so good as to afford real champagne. Not yet, she thought hopefully. She figured the least expensive sparkling wine she’d picked up at Vons would have to do for now. 

As she filled the plastic flute in Magni’s hand, he corrected, “First Christmas Eve.”

She shrugged. “Alright, fine.” Come Christmas day, both of them would be trapped under the Marottos’ roof. Aside from the occasional years Magni and his mother went to California to see his folks, they were always invited to their home come the holidays. 

But for the night, there were no judgmental or nosy family members. Sprout didn’t have to think about feeling like a stranger in her childhood home. Magni could retreat back into his room if he got overwhelmed. She even felt good enough to fill her flute as well. 

Christmas Eve was always theirs. 

Magni took a sip of his sparkling wine. “And we’ve both lived in Bright City since we were 20.” He went to sit by the tree, the multicolored bulbs on the fake branches lighting up his face. 

Setting down the bottle of sparkling wine, Sprout rolled her eyes. “Okay, just give me my present before you spoil all our fun.”

She joined him on the floor, watching him reach for a small present wrapped in striped green wrapping paper. “It’s not much,” he warned. 

Sprout took the present and ripped the paper off. She felt slightly guilty, given how neatly he’d wrapped it all, but she figured he expected it by now. Under the paper was a white box. “Hate to tell you this, Maggie, but I’m not a jewelry person.”

“Shut up and open it,” he said, raising his flute back up to his lips. 

She grinned, but cracked the lid off anyways. Resting inside was a gold tie bar, that looked plain at first glance. Sprout picked it up to get a closer look. Only then could she see the daisies engraved onto the bar, faint enough that someone had to really be looking for them. 

Despite her numb fingertips, she ran her thumb over the engravings and imagined how they would feel. She hadn’t liked being gifted flowers since her burnout. They were a bitter reminder of what it had left her with. Yet, Magni always had a way of bringing blooms back in her life even in the coldest months of the year. 

“Thanks, Magni,” she said, setting the pin back in the box with a quiet grin. “Though I did think we had a present budget.”

“Don’t get too flattered,” he said. “That is under budget. It’s not real gold.” But he still had a small smile on his face. 

“Now I feel a little bad about the gift I got.” Sprout set the box aside and reached for her present. She’d stuck it in a shiny silver bag, not wanting to embarrass herself with her wrapping skills. 

As she handed it to him, Magni set his flute aside. “Unless it’s a dildo, I won’t put it past you.”

“Dang. Ruined my surprise.”

He rolled his eyes, but he pulled out the tissue paper filling the bag until he reached the gift inside. Wrapping something in tissue paper was no more easier than wrapping it properly, but at least the lumpy, unshapen job was hidden away. He tore away the candy-cane covered wrapping paper to reveal a cookbook. Just as he knew her complicated feelings about her namesake, she knew that he only really used YouTube to watch a few chefs. One being Roland Hayes, a conventionally handsome white man who shared her green thumb and Magni’s passion for cuisine. 

Magni raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Oh. I had thought about getting his cookbook, but-”

“Look inside,” Sprout said, nearly vibrating in excitement. 

He cracked it open to the front page. Unlike her partner in solving crime, she could actually use Instagram and had seen Magni’s favorite bookstore announce they were hosting a book signing for Roland Hayes right around the holiday season. It was so not his type of thing, but Sprout would do many things for her best friend, apparently even enduring a long line to get a signed copy of his favorite YouTuber’s cookbook. 

“To Magni,” he read aloud. “Keep it crispy. Roland Hayes.” He looked up at her. “I didn’t even know he came to town.”

“That’s what happens when you use social media, Maggie,” she said. “Now you can make his recipes without having to have your laptop bugging you in the kitchen.”

“Well, I appreciate it.” Magni gave her a smile. “That does mean you will have to be a taste-tester while I try these out.”

“Oh, no, you’re going to cook for me? How awful,” Sprout said, voice heavy with feigned concern. 

“Hey, just be happy I’m not making you be my sous chef.”

“The only reason you don’t is because you don’t like blood in your bisque.”

“True.” Magni set the book aside and picked his flute of sparkling wine back up. “Here’s to knowing each other far too well.”

Sprout knocked her flute against his, the thud of plastic not quite as satisfying as a proper clink. 

It was hard to feel pessimistic about the year to come with her best friend by her side. 

#power payback #sprout marotto #magni quinn #loosely canon but also pre-canon lol #happy holidays y'all #also if u catch the reference... u know me

[bxsotted]

Pleasant Beginnings | Patrick Melrose x F!Reader

pairing : Patrick Melrose x F!reader

synopsis : Patrick's interest is piqued as reader joins in on his spiteful rant

words : 603

themes : first encounter; a little twist on the party scene in Some Hope

warnings : allusion to Patrick's addiction - very mild though ~Masterlist~

💖 Reblogs and feedback to support my work 💖

A/N : The first Patrick Melrose x reader I made - after watching the series he became my muse for the longest time and I still can't seem to get him out of my heart.

“There’s an air of palpable stupidity that comes off that man, like opening the door to a sauna.”

Patrick took a long drag off his cigarette, his eyes scanning the backyard full of guests. His words brought [Y/N] back to reality, a cigarette on her own fingers. Her eyes had been fixed on one of the guests, Sonny, observing the little panicked conversation that he was having with his mistress, Cindy.  Her gaze moved and followed Patrick’s deep voice, his baritone timbre almost too irresistible to ignore.

She raised her eyebrow, intrigued and watched as Patrick continued talking.

“My God, look at them all.” he spat in disdain, “I remember these people from my childhood. Hard and dull.”

“Well they’re the last Marxists.”

“Hm?”

Caught off guard not expecting an answer, Patrick looked at the woman that stood beside him. If he were to be honest he was mostly just talking to himself - hadn’t truly acknowledged the presence of the [H/C] haired girl.

His mind was just naturally wandering off, his mouth moving almost on its own as he tried to keep himself busy. The only other diversion to his anxiousness and temptation being the small roll of tobacco that he held between his lips. Yet she was able to captivate his curiosity with ease. Something that was rare for Patrick.

[Y/N] shrugged and began, almost absentmindedly. “The last people to believe class is a total explanation.” As distant as she wanted to appear, the resentment in her voice was more than evident. Her lips curled into a bitter smirk, the words rolling off her tongue, soaked in apathy. 

Patrick often found the act of being lucid so… dreary.

Sober life was a constant struggle and more often than not he’d find himself spiraling down - seemingly losing his grasp on whatever sanity he thought he had. 

Sober meant he’d lose himself in reality - and by attending this party; he didn’t want to lose himself in a sea of shame. It was the last thing he needed. 

He grabbed his cigarette between his fingers and extended his free hand to her.

“I’m Patrick—“

“—Melrose, correct?” [Y/N] interrupted, her head tilted to the side as she took his hand “I’ve heard about you.”

Patrick chuckled, slightly nervous as he shook her hand. He tried to disguise his uneasiness with a smile, hoping he’d be able to fake and amp up his charm. “Only good things, I’d hope?” 

“Not at all.” There was no hesitation in her words, no second guessing. No apologetic look in her face or anything that signaled that she regretted her statement. 

Her honesty stung, it was sharp and unashamed. It stuck to his skin and burned through his pores, her eyes never once faltering, locked in his. You could tell immediately she had a way with words - a silver tongue. For as hurtful as her words might be, they were still delivered with an almost mystical grace.

She grinned, and only then did he realize he had been standing there, holding her hand still. He blinked, unsure of what to do, only to feel her hand give his a soft squeeze.

There was a glint of delight behind her eyes as she spoke up again. It was obvious that her interest had somehow been piqued by him.

“Nonetheless, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Patrick. I’m [F/N], [F/N] [L/N].”

Inevitable. That’s the best way that he could describe the smile that spread across his lips. His eyes looked down for a split second before he turned to [Y/N] to reply.

“The pleasure’s mine.”

#patrick melrose #benedict cumberbatch #patrick melrose x reader #benedict cumberbatch x reader #patrick melrose x you #bendict cumberbatch x you #some hope #fanfiction #fanfic #reader insert #x reader #female reader #patrick melrose fanfiction

[twomanyideas]

Santu Claus is Coming to Town

A collaboration by @mdelpin and @oryu404 @becausewritingshouldbefun January 2023 Challenge Prompt: New Beginnings Pairing(s): Gray x Natsu, Sting x Rogue, Lyon x Erza (mentioned) AO3 | Ch 1 | Next: Ch 2

Summary: It's the most wonderful time of the year... supposedly. Natsu, in his absence, has taken Gray's Christmas spirit with him, and an unfortunate event from Rogue's childhood has him dreading the holiday altogether. Needless to say, they're not particularly excited about attending their Aunt Ur's annual Christmas eve party. But the night turns out to be full of surprises, making it one they certainly won't be forgetting anytime soon.

Chapter 1: Santa Bring My Bastard Back to Me

Christmas had always been Gray’s favorite holiday. That often surprised people, given he wasn’t exactly the most cheerful person to be around, but there was just something in the air that never failed to lift his spirits.

But this year was different, and while he hadn’t yet reached ‘Bah, humbug’ levels of bitterness, he was skirting fairly close.

The reason was simple. 

Natsu, his childhood best friend and boyfriend, had gotten himself stuck on another fucking continent with no chance of getting home before Christmas. And yeah, Gray knew all too well that he was being unreasonable for feeling this way. It wasn’t Natsu’s fault they’d canceled all flights out of Rivera because of a massive snowstorm.

But after five years of only being able to see each other on the occasional weekend and during school breaks, Gray had been looking forward to spending more time together now that he was back home. Instead, they both got swept up by work. Gray was lucky enough to have landed an entry level position at an architectural firm soon after he'd graduated, and while Natsu still worked for his dad, he’d gotten promoted last year. Now he traveled along with Igneel for work so often, it felt like Gray saw him even less than before.

Was spending Christmas together really too much to ask?

“Please tell me that’s not what you’re planning to wear to your aunt’s party.” 

Gray looked up to find his mother frowning at him. It took a minute for her words to pierce through his self pity, but when they did, it just added to his misery.

He’d completely forgotten all about his aunt’s Christmas Eve party.

“I don’t suppose there’s any way I could just stay home?” he asked. The last thing he felt like doing was feigning cheer at a loud family party.

“If he’s not going, then I’m not either,” his younger brother Rogue said as he plopped down on the sofa next to him, destroying any chance Gray might have had of his mother taking pity on him. The smug look Rogue flashed him let him know the bastard knew it, too.

Great. Thanks a lot, half-pint.

“You're both going, and that’s final. Now, go change into something a little more festive,” Mika directed, putting her hands on her hips as she looked back and forth between Gray’s sweatpants and Rogue's all black getup. “How about those Christmas sweaters I bought you?” 

Gray touched a hand to his forehead. “Will you look at that? I think I have a fever. I must be coming down with something.”

“Yeah, me too.” Rogue said, faking a cough.

“Oh come on guys, it’ll be fun,” their mother badgered as she paced to the kitchen and back, gathering all the food she was bringing to the party. “This is the first time in a long while the whole family will be together. Even Ultear made it.”

That touched a nerve. What was she talking about? The whole family would not be there.

Besides, what did Gray care if Ultear and her asshole husband had graced them with their presence when Natsu wasn’t around to make fun of them?

“Wow. Nice, mom.” Rogue rolled his eyes and sighed.

“What?” She paused, her eyes widening as she finally realized her mistake. “Oh honey, I’m sorry!”

“Don’t worry about it,” Gray grumbled, even though it did kind of hurt that she’d forgotten Natsu’s absence so easily. You’d think she’d notice. The guy had only been terrorizing their pantry since they were ten, and they’d been a couple since his freshman year of college.   

He got up from the sofa and headed off to his room to change into something his mother wouldn’t give him a hard time over. Rogue followed, looking about as thrilled as he felt. Gray doubted either of them would be wearing those Christmas sweaters. 

It took some searching, but he found a shirt that was ironed and wouldn't have him sweat to death. He’d just located a clean pair of pants when the doorbell rang, soon followed by the elated sounds of his mother greeting their visitor.

He knew it couldn’t be Natsu. He hadn’t rung their doorbell since he was twelve, just made his way in through whatever door was open. Even so, Gray couldn’t quite silence the part of him that desperately hoped his boyfriend had somehow made it home in time.

He quickly finished dressing and went back downstairs, skipping the last steps when he caught the sounds of someone rummaging through the fridge. For a second, he truly believed he’d find Natsu grabbing the makings of one of his monstrous sandwiches with whatever leftovers he could find, but his mother shattered that illusion before Gray could even come out to see for himself.

“For God’s sake Sting, get out of my fridge,” she complained, “I swear you’re as bad as Natsu!”

“Lay off him, Mika, he’s sixteen. You know better than anyone that teen boys are always hungry,” his father snickered, tossing Sting an apple from the fruit basket that sat on the counter.

“Thanks, Mr. F!” Sting inhaled the apple while peering into the multiple shopping bags full of food and drink Mika had lined up, no doubt studying their contents and making a mental list of what he was going to eat first. 

“Are you sure you’re bringing enough?” Silver glanced at Mika as she packed a box with as many bottles of wine as she could safely fit. 

Mika stopped what she was doing and gazed at Silver worriedly. “Do you think I should bring more?” 

Gray had never figured out whether his mom was really oblivious to his father’s sarcasm or whether she just enjoyed playing dumb. Either way, he rarely got a rise out of her.

“I think we should go.” 

“Not yet. We’re waiting for the boys.” 

“Gray still moping around?” 

“I am not moping, I’ll have you know,” Gray said, entering the kitchen before his parents got too comfortable talking about him. “Of course,” he sighed, taking in Rogue’s best friend and his ridiculous Christmas elf costume, complete with red suspenders, bells on his hat, and even bells on his bright green shoes. Of course he would, and of course it would have been Sting. Gray had been a fool to think otherwise. The guy practically lived at their house, hanging around his brother like the two couldn’t function without each other for longer than a day. 

And speak of the devil, Gray heard his brother coming down the stairs. He turned to look, fully expecting some sort of passive aggressive move to protest having to change, but for once, it looked like Rogue had actually put in some effort. 

While he was still wearing the black jeans, he’d found a clean white button-down shirt to go with them, and he’d even tied back half of his hair into a ponytail, revealing the side of his face Gray couldn't remember seeing in forever. 

“Nice!” Silver complimented him. “And perfect timing! Why don’t you help me load the car? Gray and Sting, you too.”

"Sure thing," Sting said, jingling with each step as he grabbed a couple of bags, but he knocked one of them straight into the counter when Rogue walked into the kitchen. “Ow! Hi! Sorry!” “Hey,” Rogue briefly flashed him a smile before he nodded at the bag Sting had just savaged. “Careful with that. You don't want to mess with my mom when she's full of ‘Christmas spirit’.” 

Gray snorted at that, and while his father shot them both a warning look, he didn’t disagree.

“I heard that!” Mika called out, already running around the house and turning off lights, but stopping to come at Rogue with a face that had Gray struggling to hold back his laughter. 

“My, who’s this handsome young man?” She crooned, cupping Rogue’s cheeks, and fondly gazing into his eyes as if she'd never see them both at the same time again. “Are you done?” Rogue huffed, glaring and red-faced as he let her pluck at him, taming a few rebellious strands of hair and making sure his shirt was tucked in nicely from all angles. 

“No!” she said, pulling her phone out from her jacket pocket. “You have a face. We need to take pictures.”

“What are you talking about? I always have a face.”

Now, normally Gray wasn’t a big fan of pictures, but Rogue’s hatred of them was legendary. And given how he was stuck going to this party because Rogue had opened his big mouth, he felt a little payback was in order.

“I think pictures are a great idea!” he said, mustering up as much enthusiasm as he was able, just to piss him off. “How about by the tree?”

“That’s a lovely idea, Gray!”

“How about by the tree?” Rogue mocked in what sounded absolutely nothing like Gray's voice at all, and stuck out his tongue. 

“Rogue!” Mika scolded as she ushered them all out of the kitchen. “It’ll just take a minute. Besides, I have so few pictures of you.”

“Oh, right. My bad,” Rogue said, pointedly looking at the walls, which were covered in family pictures, and at the digital frame that displayed a constant slideshow of shots. 

Gray wasted no time in standing in front of their Christmas tree, a huge Isvan pine that stretched all the way to the ceiling and took up a sizable chunk of the living room, but his smile froze as soon as a picture of him and Natsu grinning like idiots as they tried to shove a s’more into the other’s mouth popped up on the digital frame. 

He could remember that day clearly. The two of them had spent the afternoon building a firepit in the backyard for his mom. They’d broken it in that evening, roasting s’mores from their deck chairs with the rest of the family. Then, after everyone else had gone inside, they’d stayed by the fire, kissing until–

“You know he’d be here if he could,” his father said, patting him on the shoulder and offering him a smile. 

“Yeah,” he said, still wrapped up in his boyfriend’s face and the memories of that night until the picture switched to one of him, Rogue, Ultear and Lyon on Lyon and Erza’s wedding day. 

“And Rogue, can we please get this over with? I’d like to leave soon.”

Rogue sighed long and deep–the closest to a yes that most would get from him these days–and followed their mother's instructions for the pictures she wanted. 

Seeing the discontent on Rogue’s face as he struggled to pose and smile to please their mom made it worth having to do the same thing, as well as keeping his mouth shut when he had to sit through the round of pics his mom shot of Rogue and Sting together. 

Look at that, the little bastard could actually smile after all. 

Rogue bolted as soon as she'd uttered the word “Alright,” grabbing Sting's hand and the car keys from the table.

“We’ll start loading the food.”

“Can someone please grab the presents?” Mika called out as she went to get more bags from the kitchen. 

Gray figured he might as well do that, so he quickly sorted through the tower of presents, grabbing the ones meant for his aunt’s house and placing them into boxes which he set in the entryway to be loaded along with everything else. Then he got to work arranging the remaining presents underneath the tree. 

He paused when he got to his present for Natsu. He’d bought him the usual ridiculous amount of candy and snacks, and he’d found a plush red dragon that he knew his boyfriend would go bonkers over. But the envelope the dragon was holding in its arms was his big present, and Gray couldn’t wait to see Natsu’s reaction when he opened it. 

When he’d heard of a new resort opening up on Mt. Hakobe, Gray had taken advantage of their introductory specials to book them a four-night stay. Then he’d gone a little crazy with the extras: tickets to their onsen, a one-hour couple's massage, lift tickets and equipment rentals, and passes to their indoor water park.

Yet for as much fun as all those sounded, it was the thought of having Natsu to himself for those four nights that thrilled him the most. They’d finally get to try out all the things they never got to do because they both lived with their parents.

He put the present down along with the others, trying very hard not to think about how much he’d wanted to give it to him tonight. 

“Oh good, you’re still here,” his mom said as she entered the room, dragging a box behind her. “Can you please take this to the car for me? I can finish up here.”

“Yeah, sure.” Gray peered at the contents before picking the box up carefully to keep from breaking any of the bottles. “That’s a lot of liquor.”

“Tis the season,” Mika smiled, grabbing presents and rearranging them to her liking.

Fair point. He was definitely planning on having more than a few drinks. He left her to it and carried the precious cargo to the car.

It wasn’t long before they’d filled up the trunk completely and were strapped into their seatbelts, each of them carrying something on their lap that didn’t fit in the back. 

“Will your father be joining us later?” Mika asked Sting once they’d backed out of their driveway.

“Yeah, he just sent me ahead cause he said I was driving him nuts.”

“Wow, shocker,” Gray muttered under his breath, earning himself a glare from both Rogue and his mother. Sting, however, gave no sign he’d heard him.

His Aunt Ur’s house was visible from a distance. She’d always put up lots of decorations, but it looked like she’d kicked things up a notch this year. Huge inflatables and dancing animatronics covered every inch of her front yard, and how she wasn’t causing a town-wide power outage with the amount of lights strung about basically everywhere was a mystery. 

Ahead of them, cars slowed down as they passed the house, while others parked and got out to examine the display up close. The whole spectacle caused them to have to park further than expected, which wasn't helping Gray’s mood in the slightest, seeing as his mother had laden him down with boxes to take inside. 

As he got closer, he discovered the animatronics played music, too. It literally looked like someone had thrown up Christmas on his aunt’s lawn. And was that a dragon?

God, if Natsu were here, he’d fucking love this. Gray could almost hear his excited cries as he oohed and aahed over every little thing. Come to think of it, shouldn’t Sting be doing the same thing right about now? He glanced over to see Sting was indeed taking in the spectacle, but he wasn’t bouncing on his feet with excitement like Gray expected him to. He was just sort of gaping at it, not a thought behind those blue eyes. “I might lose you in there,” Rogue joked, flicking the bauble replacing Sting’s regular stud earring. “You blend right in.” Gray watched Sting nearly jump out of his skin, trip over his own feet and almost drop the box of presents he was holding. Thank God it wasn’t the liquor. “Stupid shoes,” Sting laughed nervously. 

Yeah, the shoes… real smooth, Sting. Gray peered over at his brother to see what he thought of this bullshit, but the idiot looked none the wiser. As he followed his father to the front door, he could only hope that he and Natsu hadn’t been this lame.

“Uncle Silver, Gray!” Ultear opened the door before they could ring the doorbell. “Come in. We’ve been waiting for you guys.”

“Yeah, sorry about that. We had to park kind of far.” 

They filed in, moving out of the way so the others could come inside. Ultear greeted them all with enthusiasm.

“Isn’t it wild?! It’s been like that all day. Someone even left a donation earlier,” she laughed. 

Gray was happy to see his cousin, but he was more interested in putting the boxes down somewhere, so he made his way into the kitchen, following the sound of laughter set to a backdrop of Christmas music. 

He counted no less than three fully decorated trees on his way there, and even though he still wished Natsu was by his side, he could feel the Christmas spell start to grab hold of him.

0-0

A/N: Well we're back with a new story and our first official collaboration for the year! This one, like most of our stories, started out as a drabble and now looks absolutely nothing like the original idea. 🤣

We had a lot of fun creating a world for them to inhabit (and we wonder why things grow outside of our control) and might revisit it at some point. You never know.

If you like it, let us know! If you have any questions about this world, ask us. You have no idea how much background we create for even the simplest story. Seriously, it's a problem!

Anyhow we hope you enjoy this first chapter, and know that the following three are already written. We'll upload them as we edit them and we plan to start on the last one in the next day or two. So bright side, we hopefully won't leave you hanging for the conclusion!

#becausewritingshouldbefun #gratsu #gray x natsu #stingue #sting x rogue #fairy tail #other #fics #multi #Christmas

[columbocorners]

I haven't done any art of otto but honest to god I feel like so much of otto's angsty behavior I really have chalked up to being normal for me because I have so many weird ocs who have trauma on the basis of horrible shit they can't comprehend happening to them. so this ramble is about that.

one of my ocs, mr. forget-me-nots' whole trauma is on the basis of pure abandonment by his family when he was 18 years old and expectation to run a horrible drug operation long after his mother, the sole owner, passes, and how does he even cope? by doing it. because he wanted any approval from his mother even after she was dead and buried, by hands which he embalmed, and he is so caught up in the world of the dead and the past which he is completely shook by to even understand why he mourns the way he does, because he's so stuck in anger he never truly got to express.

and for another character, their whole identity is chalked up to ' you are an essential copy of another man's legacy and mistake ( in this case, a mistake interpreted as a GOOD thing, mind you ) and told he can't be anyone else other than that person's legacy, that personification, and has to abide by that law, because that's all he is, all he will ever be, and he is told to kill anything personal ( his own childhood crush and lover ) just to extract any idea or possibility he could even be human.

and then I look at otto and all his actions just. make perfect sense to me because he is SO traumatized. by someone who he was potentially close to being taken by something and the idea noone suggested cece ( cici ? ) wanted that, is horrible in execution because has anyone ever considered that maybe cece is his only family? that maybe even their parents weren't that good? there is enough there were you could make the assumption they even hated each other as siblings, but by god with the way otto acts I can't imagine anything else beyond purely a good sibling dynamic or just the pain that is of losing someone, knowing they are in reach, but you're incapable of even getting there, and maybe to some extent it is because of WHO you are, and in that same sense there is a fear that because of how OTTO is, that could even be why she was gone which is why I have been doing nothing but rotting on otto being just such a misguidedly good person who does such horrible things because he is absolutely a bad therapist but you know it is because not only is he attached to noone, it's just the fact she's the one thing that could tell him why cece was taken which is why he's so frantic. noone doesn't respect him and I can't blame her, but I also think it's the little things, the breathing techniques, the attempts to try and make genuine connections, he's in so much denial though that is he so selfish with his own wants that he can't abide by noone's own but you know, that's the thing with someone who is as traumatized as otto is, how could he not be like that? how could he not be as aggressive and outrageously selfish as he is? it does not at all justify the behavior, especially towards a CHILD, mind you. However, it's still the point and clear fact that like or not, he has a complex care for noone and his patients, he doesn't like referring to children by numbers, he tries to ensure noone is given opportunities and chances to get cake, to have gifts. It is so unprofessional as it is a weak attempt to try and do better because he knows he's fucked up, but he's so disorientated in the belief that he can at least fix the one thing that BROKE him in the first place all these years, like. I get that honestly. as someone who has been abused, who has gone through more than the average person, I get not letting go of the past and the refusal not to, the denial, the bitterness about it all, the grief, because as much as you are moving forward, you can't help but look back and for me, that's what otto does so much in the podcast.

he can't help but be caught up in that incident because he was just a boy who lost his sister and was told by someone else that yeah, she could've left because of how he was, but then it's like, that is a majorly fucked up thing to say to someone, actually, he is being so shitty as he is, but he didn't deserve to be told that to me, because from how I see it, otto is alone. he's got nothing to cling to but someone who is already gone, and it's like. he lost his way because he got relapsed by trauma from the past that came to haunt him by literally noone experiencing the same thing his own sister was.

and I feel like by the end of it, he's just going to go down a hole he can't climb out of ( well, he's already dug himself so far as he did ) and it's like. on god, you couldn't exactly blame him for being mad at the ferryman either because it's like. in his eyes, that was the thing that took away a family member, someone he cared about. and if there is one thing I hate, it's like that so many people are forgetful of what makes up otto which is the trauma. like yes, he's done so much that is so shitty, but I'm not gonna' have that be like the only thing I will see about that character because he's really layered to me, I love noone, and I genuinely get why she's upset at otto, honestly I am too, but on god, I love seeing the trauma within characters and how that, for otto, never went away even through adulthood because trauma doesn't. you don't get rid of that, there is no healing some wounds, they just linger and they burn, and they will eat at you if you LET them.

and otto has. I've got like multiple headcanons about otto honestly that I could go into, because honestly he gives off divorced energy to me and that means lack of understanding and difficulty with some social cues reads to me as adhd in my eyes and I have adhd so I'm making that a big hc so it's like. broooo I could go on for hours.

#the sounds of nightmares #rambles #tson rambles

[meow6-logins]

Sweet heart

I still think about him. I wonder if he still thinks of me, not my body but me, what makes me, ME. I find myself thinking about the small details in his appearance, his way of being, his little life, his childhood stories, his dreams and his fears. His biggest fear was to become like his dad, I feared it too but I never told him. I loved every detail of his existence. I don't know when it started, but I took a step back and I realized it wasn't all that great, we became tired of each other, bitter. We started being mean to each other.

In high school everyone said he was a little ugly. I never thought he was ugly but now looking at old pictures he was your stereotypical high school nerd, he had the awkward posture, braces that always had food stuck in them, he had a huge gummy smile when he laughed, his pores were always filled with dirt and pimples. In my eyes his greasy face was perfect, because he was, it felt like he could do no wrong.

I loved everything about him. He had this crooked front tooth that I would admire when he spoke to other people, it would peak through in such a peculiar way when he pronounced certain words, it was one of my favorite things about him. He also had his mom's hair line, which he hated but I loved it. I use to also stare at his sharp cupids bow when he would sleep, he'd either be sleeping with his mouth wide open or his lips puckered up perfectly as if he were a model posing for a fragrance campaign. When he got older he started to snore and I loved it, it was the perfect white noise to sleep to. Sometimes it would wake me up but I wouldn't mind, I would admire him for a few seconds before falling back asleep. Looking at his old acne scars and remembering how he use to look, it would make me wonder how well we'll age together.

Growing together meant testing our mistakes on each other. I hate that, I wish I wasn't so naive and careless. I use to get so could up in my emotions, I would act on impulse when I was hurt. I was a stupid teenager, I hate it. Makes me wonder, will I feel this intense about someone in the future. Every time something new comes by, it feels like I am trying to convince myself, or I’m trying make up from the damage I caused him by blindly spreading my kindness else where. I question, will I ever love someone again, like I loved him. Will anyone love me as much as I loved him. For a long time it felt like he loved me just as much as I did to him. I could feel it, it was an indescribable presence, it was so real.

Sometimes it feels like people think I'm crazy. I wonder if he understands me.

#girlblogging #dear diary #just girly posts #personal #loser

[tigorrrr]

“ᴡᴏʀᴅꜱ ʟᴇꜰᴛ ᴜɴꜱᴘᴏᴋᴇɴ”

Nejteri just heard about the Outworld General's loose tongue, thanks to one gossiping Earthrealmer, and goes out to see him for a reason unknown to her, but it felt as a right thing to do.

The night of the banquet could have gone a little better for both guests, hosts, and entertainers.

It was thanks to Nejteri's new company that the news had caught up to her fresh and from a trusty source unlike from any shopkeeper. When the tall, albino woman from Earthrealm had gossiped about how tense it was at the banquet because of a voiced opinion that had stirred some fire between the two Realm races, Nejteri did not care for it as it is a feud she finds ridiculous — but when Diya insighted her about who was the one spitting his outlook something in her brain had switched and her short legs strode long steps pass the market towards the Great Hall. The tall Kunoichi trailed in her shadow after her.

"Nejteri-san?" Diya chirped, not in any hurry for if she would have wanted she'd have caught up to the short woman in two long strides. Just from watching Nejteri's short yet toned and tensed shoulders that highwired muscled arms with same intensity, she knew that this was personal. Would her eldest brother be here she'd get scolded for being nosy... but he isn't here at the moment.

"They left some time ago, I'm sure they're already at home."

Nejteri only spared the Lin Kuei kunoichi a grunt, following the scent her nose picked up among many others, but only one was the one.

The streets were busy at this early night hour, some shops are already closed or are getting ready to close up. Today was a big day for this realm but a word already spread they were bested in the Kombat yet again. Nejteri can only imagine the fit of anger her childhood friend was having. Most importantly, if he had laid it off on Reiko already, that man will wish he'd rather have an ear-full of their Empress when Nejteri is finished.

For being so small compared to most of the adults they had passed, Diya had to give Nejteri credit for pushing past everyone so lithely like a fish swimming upstream with rocks in its way.

It's hilarious how easy it was to find them, the General stuck out like a sore tumb not only with his imposing height but his horns were pretty much a give-away, his second-in-command by his side - ever so loyal - to stood guard for both his drunken leader not to be taken advantage of and to keep their citizens from harms way were they too close to the General's space. It was quite a mult-itask.

Shao wasn't drunk to be either at the point or blackout nor feel tipsy but it influenced his temper to bubble up with no filter, his calm composure had left the moment he accepted the wine into his empty stomach and it made him 'drunk' that much easier.

The horned male was mumbling spiteful things under his breath, past his fanged teeth until Nejteri's voice had cut him off as if a blade just flew past his nose.

"Oi!" just one yelp was enough to keep strangers from passing by in her path as soon as she spotted her bitter friend. "Shao!"

Nejteri wasn't being disrespectful, her praise for fighting the wars had been one too many, but she could never get her tongue to blurt out the honorifics whenever her gaze landed on him. The only ones who seemed to really be bothered by it were anyone but Shao. Tonight, though, her tone didn't sit well with his gut.

The giant of a man took a staggering step before facing the woman he had grew up with and shared with his most vulnerable moments.

Shao glared at the sight of her and her trailing companion. Another Earthrealmer. Oh, how is he fed up with those. To share the same air he breaths with them.

Reiko had never taken a hostile stand in front of Nejteri but it is for Diya this warning was for, for all of their sakes. He passed a softer look to whom he considers as a foster mother before they sharpened at the white-as-snow woman who is just a few inches shorter than him with her high heeled shoes.

Nejteri just rose her thick brow at the young lad when he allowed to get past him but kept Diya at bay. Which reminded her of the Lin Kuei kunoichi, she didn't really expect Diya to bother herself with following after her.

"What is it?" Shao gruffly demanded with impatience, staring nearly down at his feet as she approached, her inconvinient height making her crain her head all the way back and exposed her neck with vulnerability that always put her trust in him at a test.

"Heard 'bout the stupidest thing you had ever done so far." it was meant to poke at his pride and it worked, Shao's square jaw tensed and although she got a kick out of it she felt somewhat... angry. And her expressive brows made it show. "I will also walk you home."

An order fell from her lips and Shao challenged it with a leer and tipped his chin up above her ever-so-slightly. "You watch your tongue or I will rip it off myself...!"

"Will ya, now?"

Reiko looked away from Diya's coyness towards the small woman, alerted. "No need, I can-"

"The great General will behave in my company, we'll be fine." Nejteri interrupted the young man without her gaze straying away from Shao's. "But Diya needs an escort back to her party."

The only one excited by Nejteri's given task seemed to be the white-haired woman only.

Reiko hopelessly looked at his General but his eyes were strained at someone else. When Shao gave a nod of approval to Nejteri's proposal, Reiko could not hide his sneer of distain of his mouth. With a huff he stomped off his spot back to the location he had just been leaving and the tall woman was quickly catching up to him with a smile.

"お兄ちゃん達が君を食べてしまうよ…" Diya hummed with delight and walked close to the man's side who was confused by her amusion as waves of passing by civilians swallowed up the trail behind them.

Both Shao and Nejteri continued to stand there, time and passing people a tranquill waterstream in their shared silence. Despite the calmness both of them were tensed, their blood boiling, million and one words at the tips of their tongues of both insults and fondness but their stubborn jaws refused to open.

So close, but still so far appart, was the gap between them. Shao considered bending down and Nejteri considered climbing up at him, hold onto his horns for ballance. Both believed hard it is for a reason for their bitterness to humiliate the other as a punishment, they didn't know yet it was a sign their souls wanted to tightly hold one another even in this most inconvinient time.

It was Nejteri who pulled away first and Shao's body reacted as if pulled along, like they were embodies magnets.

"Come on, ya horned oaf." Nejteri's head tipped towards one direction, a short cut to his home. "Don't embarrass yourself out here further."

Tension in his shoulders ever-so-slightly subdued as the sudden lack of closeness turned cold. But that must have been the natural body heat he felt.

Without another word he followed after her, right by her right side. His mind under the influence noted that it felt good to have her back on that spot again, a place at his left where she had always been whenever he turned around.

#Nejteri #Shao #Reiko #Diya #bonus: *Reiko standing in the doorway. has 3 beefy ninja bros looming over him as he hands over their little sister* 0_0''